Neil MacGregor

I have worked with Valerie Michael in our business known as MacGregor and Michael for over 35 years, in our Tetbury workshop.

We are designers and makers of hand-stitched leather goods, making a range of work including men’s and women’s bags, belts, cases, wallets, purses, bowls and furniture. All work is individually made, by hand, using high quality materials sourced mainly from the UK and Europe. Using my knowledge and experience, I often combine challenging construction techniques with beautiful vegetable tanned leathers, in order to realise design ideas. There are many varieties of leather, each with it’s own unique characteristics and qualities, including 200 year old ‘Russia’ leather salvaged from a ship wreck. I use this to make cases, bowls and wallets.

The most important technique is the hand stitching, using linen or silk threads. This is so much stronger than machine stitching and allows me the freedom to construct boxes, cases and bags etc in ways no machine could attempt. Over many years, I have developed different methods of wet moulding leather, to make bags and for leather bowls which are made in layers then polished to a high finish.

I regularly work with customers on commissioned pieces and have worked with many furniture makers including, Matthew Burt, Brian Jordan, John Makepeace, Richard Williams and Katie Walker.

I have work in the collections of Walsall Leather Museum & the Museum of Leathercraft in the UK and the Museu de l’Art de la Pell, Vic, Spain.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish"

After very many years of craft&design we've decided that we'd like to retire and so in 29 days we will close the craft&design website, including craft&design Online and the craft&design Selected Makers and Craft and Design Month websites.
We've had a brilliant 35 years and would like to thank all our readers, advertisers, writers, contributors and website visitors for their support throughout that time.
Our very best wishes to you all for the future - Angie and Paul.